So Much Data, So Little Time

Sometimes, I get the “I want ems,” my husband says. I want new plates that match the kitchen décor better. And, come to think of it, I want new flatware too. Oh, and I really want to get the Vitamix so I can whip up soups and dips and smoothies from scratch! That’s when he asks: “If you get everything you want, what are you going to do with it? Where are you going to put the old plates, which are still in perfect condition? And when are you going to have time to use the Vitamix?” Well, I hadn’t thought about all that!

Can you have too much of a good thing?

When we get everything we want, we don’t always know what to do with it. In the case of customer relationship management (CRM), companies have been desperate to know everything possible about their customers – what they want, when they want it, and how they want to get it. In fact, they’ve been working for years to gather data on customer buying habits, needs, and preferences. But, now that they have all this information, how are they going to use it?

Putting data to work quickly and cost-effectively

To manage their vast amounts of customer data, companies are turning to CRM software that supports essential marketing, sales, and service functionality, along with real-time data access, according to an information sheet from SAP. A comprehensive CRM solution can help companies organize and analyze customer data and put it on the hands of business users, so they can make faster, more-informed decisions.

By enabling real-time reporting and analytics, CRM solutions can help companies:

Achieve relevant and timely customer insights

Align marketing activities with customer preferences

Improve sales and promotions performance

Provide faster, more proactive service

Simplify data maintenance and costs

Taking the complexity out of implementations

With rapid-deployment CRM solutions that offer preconfigured software and implementation services for a fixed price, scope, and time frame, companies can achieve a fast ROI and reduce risk. And they can learn from the experiences and best practices of consultants, like those from SAP Consulting, who have “been there, done that.”